Gallery Spotlight

Image Descriptions:

Four images feature the text below, along with photos of a mixed media sculpture on view in a gallery: a model of a narwhal, made entirely of plaster and medical supplies, appears to be decorated with blue, green, and red dots across its body. The sculpture is depicted from multiple perspectives in the white-walled gallery, which looks out at office buildings. Narwhal, for Amy, 2026. Suzanne Maria Driscoll. Sculpture: Plaster and Medical Supplies only.

Suzanne Maria Driscoll: “Growing pains.” As girls our mother rubbed our legs with rubbing alcohol. My twin says she doesn’t remember the pain – she remembers Mom’s love. I remember watching other kids move effortlessly. I thought I just had to try harder. My twin planted the seed of the narwhal, telling me that doctors are taught that when they hear hoofbeats they should think of horses, not zebras. She thinks they should learn to look for narwhals – real, rare, fabulous. Our symptoms were real too; it just took a lifetime to find someone who believed us.”

Vernel Black, Positive Exposure Intern: “My favorite piece of Rare Square is Narwhal for Amy because it captures the moment wonder meets reality. The Narwhal is the perfect symbol for Amy because living with a rare condition can feel isolating, but it is also what makes someone unique, beautiful, and resilient. The sculpture is filled with beautiful shades of deep blue, soft pink, and reds. It has syringes that represent water pushing out of the snout. It is a raw, honest look at the everyday realities that are usually kept out of sight. Narwhal for Amy shows the balance of honoring the heavy, clinical battles while celebrating the rare spirit of someone truly unique.”